Treatment of an injured leg of a horse, such as a broken foreleg, often requires the hoof to be held while a force is applied to allow the bones to set. This is a difficult procedure, and the horse is usually sedated while the veterinarian performs the process. After the leg has been set, it may be placed in a cast (either plaster or fiberglass), but this presents problems because the horse resists having such a foreign object on its leg.
Moreover, examination of the leg having a cast thereon requires that the cast be removed and another cast applied. Removal of the cast is generally accomplished by sawing and also requires the horse to be sedated. Because of the complications of this procedure, veterinarians do not examine the leg as often as they should.
Treatment of a broken leg is usually accomplished in the clinic of the veterinarian, which means that the horse with the broken leg must be transported to the veterinarian. Many horses do not recover from a broken leg because of the trauma associated with this transport from the place of injury.